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Gooseberry Mesa

Trails

Gooseberry Mesa Trail is a National Recreation Trail near Apple Valley, Utah of SR 59. At 5,200 this trail offers breathtaking panoramic views of Zion National Park and the water carved canyon a below.

The rim trail section is just under 6 miles on a winding dirt trail occasionally crossing over sandstone and through juniper and pinion trees, sage, yucca, prickly pear and other varieties of flowering cactus. To make this an 8.5 mile loop you will need to ride on the dirt road back to the parking area.

From the Gooseberry Mesa Trailhead we rode west on the road a .5 mile and then turned right to begin the rim trail. On the road you may encounter several OHV users, but once on the rim trail you aren't likely to see many other users, but mountain bikers also use this trail. This area is very popular for mountain biking, however most mountain bikes ride a different section.

Directions from I-15, take exit 16 to Hurricane City, then turn right onto Main Street and the next immediate left onto SR 59. Travel approximately 14 miles, and after passing the gas station in Apple Valley you will make a sharp turn left onto Main Street (also called the Smithsonian Butte National Backcountry Byway).
The dirt road off the highway is very washboard in sections but you will only be on this road for approximately 2.8 miles. Turn left at the sign towards Goosberry Mesa Trailhead. You can drive your trailer to the Trailhead which is three miles further and this road is in much better condition than the first dirt road. If you park at the trailhead then you will have to back track down the road and back to the trailhead when you finish the mesa rim trail section. The Gooseberry Mesa Trailhead is a pull-through for a few trailers and has a single vault toilet.

***NOTE: The Smithsonian Butte Scenic Byway will become a sea of mud after heavy rain and on warm days during a wet winter. Always check the weather (both recent and forecast) before driving into this area. ***

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